Zach Cregger, renowned for directing the chilling horror film Barbarian and his involvement with the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids You Know, is now set to helm a reboot of the iconic Resident Evil franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a fierce bidding war is underway among four studios, including Netflix and Warner Bros., eager to secure the distribution rights for Cregger's vision of the classic Capcom survival horror series.
Cregger's recent success with Barbarian, a 2022 horror movie about a woman uncovering a terrifying secret in a rental house, has heightened anticipation for his upcoming projects. His next film, Weapons, has reportedly received exceptionally positive test screenings, further solidifying his reputation in the horror genre.
This new Resident Evil reboot marks the second attempt to bring the franchise back to the screen. Previously, Paul W.S. Anderson directed a series of six films starring Milla Jovovich, which, despite deviating from the game's storyline, amassed a global box office of $1.2 billion. In 2021, Johannes Roberts directed Welcome to Raccoon City, aiming for a more faithful adaptation but falling short of the quality set by Capcom's original games.
Constantin Film, in collaboration with PlayStation Productions, will produce this latest reboot. PlayStation Productions, established by Sony in 2019, has been instrumental in adapting various video games into films and series, including Uncharted starring Tom Holland, Gran Turismo, The Last of Us TV series, and Twisted Metal. The studio's upcoming projects also include adaptations of Until Dawn, Days Gone, Ghost of Tsushima, Gravity Rush, Helldivers, Horizon Zero Dawn, and a sequel to Uncharted. Additionally, a God of War TV show and a Ghost of Tsushima anime series are in development.
For more on Zach Cregger's work, you can read our review of Barbarian here.
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